The Australian Catholic Historical Society is a cultural organisation, interested in all aspects of Australian Catholic Church history. It was founded in 1940 by a group of Catholic students of Australian history.They came together to establish a society that would lend encouragement and support to those who wanted to investigate and document what Catholics (clergy, religious and lay persons) had done over the years in Australia. It is under the patronage of the Archbishop of Sydney.

The Jesuit Post is a website designed as a meeting place for Jesuits who want to blog and share ideas.

Cradio is a non-profit organisation seeking to put new technologies to the service of the Church in Australia.

From 7-20th July this year, the Run to Better Days event will take place.  Starting in Cairns, the team will run
tag-team style down the Queensland coast, finishing in Rockhampton, and give presentations at schools, universities and community groups along the way. The goal of the event is to raise funds for the Against Malaria Foundation.

National Office for the Participation of Women aims to gather, connect and reenergise those who are responding to the issues of women’s participation in our church.

For more than nine centuries, Trappist monks and nuns have witnessed to the gospel of Jesus Christ through a cloistered, communal life wholly ordered to contemplation. The Trappists have developed creative online resources. Here is a video interview with some monks about their life and values

In Refugee Week, the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office has been active in highlighting the horrors of, and offering alternatives to, refugee detention. Its website carries a broad range of documents, articles and other

This website offers a number of different reflections on the gospel of the coming Sunday. It is changed and updated each Monday.

Caritas Australia's Global Gifts section has a wide range of special gift ideas.

The Australian Catholic Cursillo Movement focuses on helping each person to discover themselves, their relationship with Christ and with others. This year it will be celebrating 54 years since its establishment in Australia.

The International Young Christian Workers is a movement of education through action based on the experiences young workers live. The starting point of YCW is personal and collective situations that the young workers live in everyday life and the values that are contradictory to their beliefs and aspirations that exist in the society.

Jesuit Social Services works to build a just society where all people can live to their full potential - by partnering with community to support those most in need and working to change policies, practices, ideas and values that perpetuate inequality, prejudice and exclusion

Are you looking for the answer to a faith question? Do you want to know what Baptism means? Are you orgainising a wedding? Need to know how to plan a funeral? Or would you like to discover more about the Church at home? Such as - Where is your local parish? How do you contact your Bishop or Archbishop?

Whether you are a Catholic who has been out of touch with the Church for some time, or looking for information to help you discover more about the Catholic faith, this is the website for you. (Originally published: 2nd Jan 2015)

MEDIA RELEASES
This website is a service for Church organizations and other not-for-profit organizations. Bishops or other official Church agencies who have a media release or statement, or would like to make a statement in reply to a news item. They should send their media releases to CathNews by 6am for inclusion in that day’s edition. For consideration for inclusion, please send your release or statement to the Editor-in-Chief of CathNews, Michael Visontay, news@cathnews.com. Please indicate your preferred publication format (PDF or Word) and give your file an intelligible name that indicates the name of the publishing organisation and a short title that will appear on the Media Releases page.

The Vatican Museums originated as a group of sculptures collected by Pope Julius II (1503-1513) and placed in what today is the Cortile Ottagono within the museum complex. The Popes were among the first sovereigns who opened the art collections of their palaces to the public thus promoting knowledge of art history and culture.

As seen today, the Vatican Museums are a complex of different pontifical museums and galleries that began under the patronage of the popes Clement XIV (1769-1774) and Pius VI (1775-1799).

The Australian Catholic Social Justice Council (ACSJC) was set up by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference in 1987 as the national justice and peace agency of the Church in Australia. This website tells us that the Bishops Conference mandates the ACSJC to promote research, education, advocacy and action on social justice, peace and human rights, integrating them deeply into the life of the whole Catholic community in Australia, and providing a credible Catholic voice on these matters in Australian society. In this way the ACSJC seeks to bring good news to the poor, release to captives, sight to the blind and freedom to the oppressed. The ACSJC is accountable to the ACBC through the Bishops Commission for Justice, Ecology and Development.

The website contains links and resources on the work of the ACSJC and its spirituality for justice.

This website, from the National Catholic Education Commission, addresses all of the contemporary
issues affecting education and schooling.

They include closing the funding gap, students with a disability, social justice and a snapshot of the
state of Catholic education.

Catholic Social Services Australia represents a national network of 59 Catholic social service
organisations that provide direct support to more than one million Australians each year.

CSSA advances the social service ministry which is integral to the Mission of the Catholic Church
in Australia. It envisages a fairer, more inclusive Australian society that reflects and supports
the dignity, equality and participation of all people. The CSSA website carries an interesting range of papers and news about human rights issues, including refugee advocacy and social welfare.

Sacred Destinations is an ecumenical guide to more than 1,250 sacred sites, holy places, pilgrimage destinations, religious architecture and sacred art in more than 60 countries around the world.

In addition to richly illustrated articles, there are photo galleries containing over 24,000 high-quality images plus
detailed maps and lots of practical travel information.

The Australian Confraternity of Catholic Clergy is a membership organisation for diocesan clergy.

The Fraternity helps members build up each other in the grace of their vocation. It aims at increasing the wider flourishment of authentic living and exercise of vocations among bishops, priests, and deacons, and attracting younger men to consider a vocation to the Sacred Ministry.

Membership is also open to lay and religious faithful who support the clerical association in its objectives. 

Pope Francis has declared a Global Jubilee Holy Year for Mercy, beginning in December. Okay, good... but what does a Holy Year actually signify, and what is its purpose?
Cathnews turns here to the Vatican website for answers.

Membership of Church Resources is free. The team at CR can recommend ways to reduce your expenses and improve your processes, while introducing you to leading companies who have the offerings and expertise for your needs to help manage supplier relationships, allowing not-for-profits to concentrate on their core missions.

Project Compassion 2015 focusses on Food for Life. It throws a spotlight on global food issues and how Caritas Australia is empowering the world’s poorest people to establish sustainable food sources for life..

The website for this 150-year-old missionary society provides information on their work, history and spirituality. 

The society strives to assist not only those in Africa, but also people of African heritage wherever they live.
"We are priests, deacons, seminarians, and lay men and women. We are teachers, carpenters, health care professionals, musicians and more. We work, live, and worship in the spirit of Christian community," the website says.

This is the website of the Presentation Sisters, who are called to encounter God in the heart of the world and to continue the mission of Jesus in the spirit of their founder Nano Nagle.
The Society of the Presentation Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary (PBVM) is a federation of six autonomous Presentation Congregations in Australia and a group of Melanesian and Australian Presentation Sisters in Papua New Guinea.

The website contains useful links and resources regarding the spirituality and works of the Sisters in education and other ministries, as well as links for Justice Jottings, the newsletter of the Presentation Society.

Brisbane Archdiocese has revamped its website, and is offering a mobile and tablet app.

Brisbane is one of five dioceses in the State of Queensland. This informative website contains a number of links on
practical and spiritual matters on the life of the Diocese as well and news, and featured videos.

To read full text of Archbishoo Coleridge's Advent Pastoral Letter, CLICK HERE.

To watch Archbishop Coleridge delivering his Pastoral Letter on the CathNews YouTube channel, CLICK HERE.

The social network of the Archdiocese of Sydney has launched its online Advent Calendar. The calendar, also available as a free App, features daily reflections and multimedia resources to help you make the most of Advent.

The first door of the Advent calendar will open on the 30th of November.

This website wants to celebrate giving. On Tuesday, December 2, 2014, charities, families, businesses, community centres, and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.

The website tells us:
"It’s a simple idea. Just find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organisation to come together to give something more. Then tell everyone you can about how you are giving. Join us and be a part of a global celebration of a new tradition of generosity."

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has redesigned its website. The ACBC is the permanent assembly of the Bishops of Australia, which administers the Church in Australia.

This informative website explains the organisational structure of the Church in Australia and includes contact information for dioceses, religious orders, bishops and Catholic agencies across Australia.

It also has a section for media that includes news, media releases and photo galleries. A prayer space invites you to reflect with words, images and prayers that reveal the Church's mission. 

This is the website of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions, missionaries with a heart for the world, who follow the example of Euphrasie Barbier (1829-1893).

True to its humble origins, the Congregation of the Sisters of St Paul de Chartres aspires to live the poverty and simplicity of Christ’s Gospel in genuine charity and humility, daring to trust in God alone.

The Sisters of the Holy Angels CHA is a member congregation of Catholic Religious Australia. Founded in Sri Lanka, it was initially a Diocesan Congregation and a purely indigenous one. 

The Congregation, affectionately known as the Good Sams, was the first religious congregation founded in Australia.

The Good Sams live a rich prayer life, praying  the morning and evening prayer of the Church and engaging in lectio divina, an ancient way of praying with the Scriptures: "Our spirituality, nourished by the ancient Rule of Benedict and the Good Samaritan parable, is expressed in our commitment to community life, prayer, justice, hospitality and compassionate service. We take seriously Jesus' Gospel command to go and be neighbour."

This is the website of the Brothers of Saint Patrick. It contains links and information on this Order from across the world.

The Patrician Brothers came to Australia during the 'educational crisis' of the 1880s and established numerous schools. In recent years they have moved beyond schools to other areas of need in the community.

At their website. you can read all about the spirituality, history and works of the Patricians and view videos and a variety of links.

This website offers Catholics worldwide easy access to comprehensive, educational and timely information about Catholicism, and provides a range of easy methods to integrate their faith into their daily lives.

Today, Catholic Online provides over five million pages of content including the largest online historical and biblical database about the Church including comprehensive information about over 7,000 Catholic saints and comprehensive online scriptures from all books of the Old and New Testament

Sr Margaret's order! This website explains that the mission of the Loreto sisters is to transform the Church and the world particularly by empowering women to seek truth and do justice, while valuing freedom, justice, integrity, felicity and verity.

Well known in education in Australia, over 100 active and retired sisters live by and share the vision and mission of Mary Ward. They contribute their gifts, sometimes in employment and often in a voluntary capacity, in a variety of areas including: Welfare and social services; Parish ministry and pastoral care; Social justice; Education; Arts; Spiritual guidance; and Theology.

The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth are an International Apostolic Congregation,
founded by Frances Siedliska (Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd).

The sisters have some interesting stories to tell, including that of 
Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd and Sr Stella And Her Companions,
the 'Martyrs of World War Two' who were murdered by the Nazis.

The Family Care Sisters (Grey Sisters) have been ministering to families for 80 years. 
The homepage for the Grey Sisters contains links, news and contact details.
There is also news of a book about their history.

This website describes itself as "Not always happy but happy to be Catholic". It contains everything from book and film reviews to bible studies and prayers, favourite posts and superheroes

A virtual tour of the Church of the Nativity, the  birthplace of Jesus, allows a bird's eye view of all the major attractions:
the churches, culture and history of Bethlehem.

The site also has information about church services and events, and information about the hospital, children's homes and other charitable projects there. You can even make a donation and light a candle in the Nativity Church online.

Students at the Catholic Institute of Sydney are engaged in the study of Theology, Philosophy, Biblical Studies, Church History and a number of areas of pastoral theology.

The homepage of the Catholic Institute of Sydney for Theology and Ministry contains news and events, and information on courses and enrollment. 

The Institute is unique in Australia as an ecclesiastical faculty able to offer the ecclesiastical degrees of the Holy See

The Sydney Alliance brings together diverse community organisations, unions and religious organisations to advance the common good and achieve a fair, just and sustainable city.

The website of the Discalsced Carmelites of the Australia-Oceania region invites you to come to know their story and to share something of their spiritual heritage and join them in prayer.

A Catholic Online webpage offers explanations of FAQs about Lent.
It also covers: Ashes , Giving something up, Examining our lives,
Scrutinies and Penance, Prayer, fasting and almsgiving, Stations of the Cross
and Blessed palms.

An award-winning Catholic online network, Xt3 will keep you in touch with Church news and events, keep you informed on all the hot topics and the latest on WYD2016.

Founded in 1808 by St Magdalen of Canossa, the Canossian Daughters of Charity are a multicultural group of women
present in 33 Countries, committed to making Jesus known and loved wherever they are called to live.

The webpage explains that the Daughters of Charity engage in their mission through lives of prayer, ministry and community says 'we draw our passion from the love of Jesus on the cross, our supreme model. We try our best to translate our love for God into a life of service, paying particular attention to those who are in greatest need.

Venerable Fulton J Sheen was a charming matinee idol of an archbishop - popular on television and radio for decades.
The Cause for his sainthood is worth reading about.

At this website, you can support the Cause for the canonisation of Archbishop Sheen, read some of his prayers and meditations
and about his museum.

A useful list of Archbishop Sheen related websites is also provided.

January 26 2014 was Leprosy Awareness Sunday. Here is a link to the Leprosy Mission Australia website.

The publishers of this website say that Leprosy Mission Australia is committed to the 'empowerment of individuals, families and communities affected by leprosy or at risk of the disease.  Such people often suffer from lack of choice and are usually powerless to change their situation.' The Leprosy Mission Australia concentrates its focus of work within India, Nigeria, D.R Congo, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, Nepal, Thailand and Myanmar.

Their website also invites to be a 'prayer partner' to the Mission.

This Australia Day weekend, it seems only right to take a look at this website promoting the Cause of Caroline Chisolm, a woman who may very well become Australia's next canonised saint. Caroline Chisholm, the 'immigrant's friend' and Servant of God, is well known in Australia. But the importance of her spirituality and Catholicism is often overlooked. This website hopes to change all that. In her own lifetime she was renowned for her charitable work and for the social reforms and improvements she achieved in the 19th century. She championed the cause of women and families, met poor immigrants at the docks, lobbied governments, and met with the powerful, including the Pope. Her fame has endured, and indeed, she used to be the face of the five dollar note.The publishers of mrschisolm.com aim to increase knowledge and appreciation of the life and work of Caroline Chisholm, particularly of her heroic virtue, and to help in promoting the commencement and advancement of a Cause for her beatification in the Catholic Church and, in time, her canonisation. To which we say... brava!

This National Catholic Register page lists their Top 100 Pro-Catholic Movies.

At this web page, you'll find NCR and Faith & Family magazine's list of 100 films that best celebrate Catholic life. These are movies with specific Catholic references, rather than simply 'Catholic themes'.

The homepage of the important Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn contains information on the history and work of the archdiocese and its people. You can read about the new Archbishop, Chistoper Prowse, and watch highlights of his Installation Mass.
You can also browse the archives containing various homilies and speeches by the ever thoughful retired Bishop Pat Power and material from Mgr John Woods.The web page also contains a virtual 'prayer room' and says that 'You are invited to enter a prayer for a person or an intention.  When your prayer is added to the symbolic environment you will be a part of the community of prayer supported by the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn and all people of faith and goodwill who enter this area of the website'.

The Magdala Centre is a remarkable and multifaceted pilgrimage service complex in the Galilee, built on the site of recently discovered First Century synagogue in the home town of Mary Magdalene.

In 2009, the world was captivated when the Israeli Antiquities Authority discovered a First Century synagogue at Mary Magdalene's home town, during preparation for construction of the Centre.

We recommend watching the nine minute video on their home page, showing the amazing archaeological site: a synagogue where Christ very probably preached in the First Century.

Everything that you wanted to know about Catholicism but were afraid to ask.

Work on a Catholic Encyclopedia in English began in 1904.

In 1997 the content was launched into cyber-space.

This web page can serve as a useful alternative to wikipedia when you want to browse the Internet
for information on matters religious.

Being Catholic exists to serve the needs of two diverse groups of people who serve within Catholic Education.
Firstly, it hopes to provide Catholic teachers and leaders with an ongoing and deeper insight into the great panorama of Catholic thought and teaching on many issues. It seeks to help them draw deeper inspiration, edification and motivation from the Church’s teaching.

Secondly, it seeks to provide those staff who may not have grown up within the Catholic tradition with a simple and accessible resource for learning a little more each month about the great adventure they have embarked upon.

The Catholic Writers Guild is a non-profit organisation of faithful Catholic writers, artists, editors, illustrators, and allies.

It is headquartered in Indianapolis. Its mission is to help build a vibrant Catholic literary culture by offering educational programs that encourage Catholic spiritual growth, teach Catholic writers about their craft as well as how to sell and market their work.

It is faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.

In 2011, the Arts and Humanities Research Council of the UK awarded a grant to research the Catholic church architecture of Britain.

It was awarded to Dr Robert Proctor, Lecturer in History of Architecture at the Mackintosh School of Architecture, Glasgow School of Art, for a 20-month project entitled Roman Catholic Church Architecture in Britain, 1955 to 1975.

Here is a website of the exhibition that has grown out of that project.

The Sisters of Charity of Australia are women religious who have been serving the people of Australia since 1838.
They are located in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Within the mission of the Catholic Church, they are committed especially to service of the poor and disadvantaged, and have a commitment to social justice and to the environment.

On several occasions they have responded to invitations to serve in overseas mission for shorter or longer periods.To many people the Sisters of Charity provide a beacon of hope in times of uncertainty.
Our mission in today’s world draws strength from a spirituality based on the Christian scriptures and an Ignatian tradition and that of its Congregation, dating back to their founder, Mary Aikenhead.

The North Sydney Environment group was formed in August 2008, with the objective of promoting a Christian outlook to maintenance and care of its physical environment. Its activities include:
- Facilitation of an energy audit of the presbytery and each of the three church buildings;
- Regular educational contributions to the Parish Newsletter;
- Awareness/discussion evening based on the film “An Inconvenient Truth”.Over time, the group experienced a spiritual awakening… any concern for creation leads to deeper questions of human relationship with God, our Creator.

Founded in 1979, ACPP is an independent human rights organization based in Hong Kong and dedicated to the cause of peace and social justice throughout Asia.

Its name was taken from Pope Paul VI's Encyclical letter "Progress of Peoples" (Populorum Progresso, 1967). While the group is religiously inspired, it works with everyone concerned with remedying social injustices and promoting genuine holistic human development.

JosephCardijn.com hosts a trove of documents, testimonies, photos and resources relating to  the life and work of Father, later Cardinal Joseph Cardijn, founder of the Young Christian Workers (YCW) movement.Cardijn also developed the
"see - judge - act" methodology and pedagogy for promoting personal and social action.The site includes most of Cardijn's most famous texts as well as photo collections and a full biography.The French version of the site is even more extensive.

Pax Romana has had consultative status with the United Nations since 1949 through the Economic Social Council (ECOSOC), as well as with UNESCO and the Council of Europe. It provides advocacy and lobbying for the promotion of human rights of the Church at the UN. Its website acts as an information tool available for anybody interested in the activities of the Pax Romana community, his members and his movements, a study tool for his members, where to find documents, declarations and analysis.

It also functions as an internal communication tool between members and movements, to share ideas through comments areas, forums.

This site, run by British nun Sr Catherine Wybourne, is an eclectic mix of some of the things that interest her.
She brings this information to followers courtesy of the people she follows on Twitter. she adds: "In case you are wondering, I really am a nun, and I really do work with digital media. You can find out more about the community to which I belong from our web sites and from my blog"

Jean-Claude Colin SM was the founder of the Marist Fathers – priests and brothers of the Society of Mary.

Born at the close of the 18th century in revolution-torn France, Jean-Claude was convinced that the Blessed Virgin wanted a group of men and women to do her work in the world at a time of turmoil and challenge.

With this inspiration he forged the way for a new family of consecrated religious and of laity in the Church - the Marist family.

This website has a broad range of information about the Marists and their traditions.

Journey With Jesus is a weekly webzine with a broad range of resources based on social conscience.
It has links to books, films, poetry, essays, music and podcasts, among other resources.

ACRATH stands for the Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans, and is endorsed by Catholic Religious Australia – the peak body for 190 religious orders in Australia, representing 8000 religious sisters, brothers and priests.

This website is against human trafficking. It includes educational resources, links, calls to action, events and videos.

This website is a resource for principals, with a panel of education links, Catholic and other principals organisatons.
There are also videos and other multimedia materials.

The idea of the Missionaries of the Gospel community was revealed in 2004 and was shared with Pope John Paul II before he passed away. After a time of prayer and formation, under the guidance of Perth Archbishop Barry James Hickey, the Missionaries of the Gospel (MGs) was officially established in 2007. At this time, he recognised the community's status as an Association of Christ’s faithful, signed the Provisional Statutes and accepted two young women.

Its mission is to help people encounter Christ and His Good News in a personal way; to integrate the Gospel into their daily lives (actualising their great dignity) and participate more fully in the communion of the Holy Trinity.

This website has a wide range of articles and resources aimed at fostering the relationship between Jews, Israel and Catholics.hese include explanations of Jewish holidays, a video about Israel and the Holy Land, and also an answer about the need for an apostolate of Catholics for Israel in the first place.

Heroic News is an American website that is dedicated to providing an alternative diet of uplifting, inspiring news - with a Christian orientiation.The website features an attractive range of stories, blogs, images and videos to help give readers a different view of life and values.

This site carries information around the Catholic Church of Victoria’s response to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations.

The Church renews its apology to victims and families, and promises to continue to take decisive action to bring forth healing, and to guard against future harm.

Its prayers are with the victims and their families, and those entrusted with the conduct of the Parliamentary Inquiry.

Jubilee Debt Campaign is demanding an end to the scandal of poor countries paying money to the rich world. It is calling for 100% cancellation of unpayable and unjust poor country debts. The website has full details of its stance, policies and activities, in particular on the current Euro debt crisis.

Good Samaritan Education, a new entity within the Catholic Church with responsibility for the ethos and mission that enlivens Good Samaritan schools in Australia, has a rich, easy-to-read website

The Little Company of Mary is an international congregation of Catholic women Religious who have committed their lives to pray and care for the suffering and dying of the world.The congregation has a new attractive website which is easy to read, view and navigate. It features news, events and links to international affiliates.

Cafod is the official Catholic aid agency for England and Wales, working with partners in more than 40 countries across the world. The agency's website has a broad range of projects and links to other social justice issues.

This website describes itself as a web site dedicated to assisting families in making the home the living heart of the church, CathFamily.org.

Presented in the form of a Tumblr blog, the site contains a multitude of information on the Jesuit history, including the Reductions in Paraguay, Jesuit history in Brazil and Latin America.

This website in Paramatta features photos and a regular blog as well as a contact page for messaging pilgrims for the World Youth Day in Rio.

The American Chesterton Society is dedicated to promoting the works of its namesake, the British writer Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Emerging Theologians and young Church leaders envision the Church on this website which is an initiative of the Catholic intellectual movement ICMICA and Boston College students.

The MacKillop Family Services website has easy navigation, a new suite of drop-down menus and a broader range of events, news  and other information.

The Catholic Women’s League of Victoria and Wagga Wagga has a broad range of information to help meet the increasing demand from around the world for information about the cause of Dr Sr Mary Glowrey JMJ.

Good Grief is committed to relieving suffering and bringing hope to people affected by change, loss and grief. Its work is based on Mary MacKillop's principle “Never see a need without doing something about it.” The organisation has a suite of programs and resources developed to support children, young people and adults to effectively work through change, loss and grief in their lives.

The Truth, Justice and Healing Council is coordinating the Catholic Church’s response to the Royal Commission with a commitment to cooperation, openness, full disclosure and justice for victims and survivors.

It has just launched its website, which has a comprehensive range of information about the Commission, support for survivors, media coverage, and Catholic community links.

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Media Blog has a list of interesting and timely blogs on issues of contemporary relevance, from faith to politics and beyond.

While everyone frets about the new twists in the global financial crisis, Washington Catholic think tank the Centre of Concern has been studying reform of the world's financial institutions since 1995 - Rethinking Bretton Woods

The Family of the Franciscans of the Immaculate, Friars, Sisters, Poor Clares, and the Third Order members known as the MIM (the Mission of the Immaculate Mediatrix), was founded by two Italian priests: Fr. Stefano Maria Manelli and Fr. Gabriele Maria Pellettieri.

According to the FMI website, it was "the Immaculate who willed the existence of this religious family and chose these two holy friar priests to be its initiators."

Food meets faith at the Catholic Foodie, according to website creator and podcaster Jeff Young.

According to the website, Jeff's show "highlights how food – good food – can be a sign to us of God's love and care for each of us and our families".

eBible is an online Bible website with many versions available and offering the capacity to highlight passages and make annotations.

Several languages are also offered including Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Korean as well as several Europeans and even the South African language Xhosa. The site also offers concordances and other scholarly tools.

A downloadable plugin also enables websites and blog owners to automatically link to Bible references. 

Any scripture reference on a web page e.g. "John 3:16" automatically gets converted into a link.

Founded by Dutch Scheutist priest, Fr Francis Senden, the Asian Social Institute is a Catholic-inspired graduate school in Manila focusing on training future church leaders in the field of social development.

The Stewardship Network is an association of representatives from nine Australian Catholic dioceses who have agreed to participate in regular teleconferences to advance the growth of stewardship across Australia and New Zealand.

Catholic Religious Australia put up a new website earlier this year, which has enabled CRA to more effectively report on those ministries and keep the Catholic and wider community up-to-date on the latest news and issues.

The home page includes the latest news and views, a featured ministry, a weekly Gospel reflection, and some ‘wise words’ from the founders of Australia’s more than 180 congregations.

This website, from the National Catholic Education Commission, addresses all of the contemporary issues affecting education and schooling.

Caritas supporters have taken a stand in solidarity with the world’s poor, calling for an increase in assistance to communities living in poverty and calling on the government to cut pollution and demonstrate global leadership in meeting the urgent challenge of climate change.

This website has a video from the South Pacific, plus details of petitions and other activities.

The Sydney Alliance brings together diverse community organisations, unions and religious organisations to advance the common good and achieve a fair, just and sustainable city.

It does this by providing opportunities for people to have a say in decisions that affect them, their families and everyone working and living in Sydney.

The Sydney Alliance is a non-party political organisation.

Domus Australia is a religious and cultural centre for pilgrims to Rome, providing the opportunity for visitors to Rome to learn more about the history of the Church and the many places of religious significance they should see while in Rome.

The website carries news and events, and a video of the centre's building process leading to its  completion and opening.

On 1 January 2012, the former Melbourne College of Divinity was re-named MCD University of Divinity, officially becming Australia’s first University of Specialisation and the first university to be established in Victoria in over two decades. It also includes a growing online repository of research articles.

In the Catholic Church over recent years there has been much talk of evangelisation, the New Evangelisation and, more recently, of Evangelical Catholicism. These phrases are often used as slogans, but the questions to which they are answers are important beyond the Catholic Church, writes Andrew Hamilton in Eureka Street.

Liturgy Brisbane aims to encourage the full, conscious and active participation of all people in liturgical rites that are noble in their simplicity yet powerful in their expression of the sacred mysteries.

Its efforts are directed to education and consulting for the parishes of the archdiocese, and publishing liturgical resources for the Australian Church.

Offering English translations from the Latin American Church, Iglesia Descalza or Barefoot Church describes itself as a voice from the margins of the Catholic Church.

Recent articles include reflections on Pope Francis from leading liberation theologians, including Bishop Pedro Casaldaliga and Leonardo Boff.

The national Catholic Education Commission maiontains effective liaison with the Commonwealth Government and other key national education bodies. The website contains its response to the Gonski review of funding for schooling and information about the review of its own operations.

Roots of Peace is a humanitarian organisation dedicated to eradicating landmines worldwide and rehabilitating the land to make it productive once more, by turning "Mines into Vines". The website has a wide range of information about the group's activities.

The YCW Organises, Educates and Empowers young people to be a positive change within their own lives and the community through its community based groups which follow the famed "See Judge Act" methodology.

The Lasallian Foundation supports education and related programs for the empowerment of children, youth and their communities in the Asia Pacific.

The Lasallian Foundation was established in 2004 by the De La Salle Brothers of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. The Foundation is a small, non denominational organisation supporting development projects in the Asia Pacific region and more recently in South Sudan.

Civilta Cattolica editor Fr Antonio Spadaro SJ also runs several of his own websites, including The Cyber Theology Daily which appears in English.

He also has his own blog in Italian at www.cyberteologia.it.

And Civilta Cattolica itself now has an online version, also in Italian.

Time to get ready for World Youth Day in Rio De Janeiro which is coming up in July. Pope Francis has confirmed that he will join.

Catholic Education Week in Melbourne is being celebrated between March 10-17. The theme for 2013 is  'Entrusted with Something Precious'.   

 A highlight of the annual celebrations is the St Patrick’s Day Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral and the entertainment in the Treasury Gardens, which attracts about 2,000 students. The Visual Arts Exhibition is also popular with schools, with the best of Catholic student art on show at the Catholic Leadership Centre in East Melbourne.

The Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Goonellabah are an enclosed community of nuns, living near Lismore in northern NSW. They live according to the Rule of Carmel, which was first used by hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land. The community was founded in  1966.

Their website has a rich array of information and photos of their way of life.

The National Association of Deacons (NAD) represents all of the Catholic deacons of Australia and is associated with the National Council of Priests (NCP).

The website includes everything from news items, pastoral and liturgical stories, profiles of memberd and discussion of Canon Law.

Australian Catholics website covers a wide range of areas of Catholic life, including a dedicated portal called Teacher Resources.

Each quarterly edition of the magazine includes a companion publication titledReflections and Notes, which offers a deeper look at one of its main features and provides teachers with resources, reflections and activities they might find useful.

The Biblical Foundation is a new initiative of the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth. It has two main objectives. Firstly, to help Catholics develop their knowledge and use of the Scriptures so as to form a firm biblical foundation for their everyday lives. Secondly, to offer scholarships for biblical studies through the B.J. Hickey Biblical Foundation.

Beyond These Days is a four day experience into the rhythm of Holy Week as journeyed by Jesus. It will offer participants the opportunity to walk gently with Christ as together we pray, sing, reflect, discuss and remember the events that shape our story.

The Catholic Women's League of Australia has launched its own Youtube channel. Recent videos include songs by Fr Robert Galea (pictured), and discussions about nascent life.

The Washington Post On Faith portal has a broad range of stories, blogs, photos and other articles.

The Edmund Rice Centre remains vigilant in responding to current events such a asylum seeker policy and the climate change talks in Doha. The website contains an archive of all its releases and other information on these issues.

The Columban art calendar is well known for its traditional religious paintings and liturgical information. It is now available through the Columbans' website.

The Catholic Enquiry Centre is the national faith outreach of the  Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. Its purpose is to reach out beyond the Church to offer an invitation to those who are not Catholic to learn about and understand all aspects of the Catholic religion.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent, bipartisan US federal government commission. Its principal responsibilities are to review the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom internationally. The USCIRF website has a wealth of reports and findings on religious freedoms around the world, most recently a study into education in Pakistan, which found that text books in Pakistani schools foster prejudice and intolerance of Hindus and other religious minorities, while most teachers view non-Muslims as “enemies of Islam".

This website by the prominent former public servant John Menadue contains articles and speeches on a wide variety of subjects in Australian public and cultural life - including essays on religion and faith.

The Green Pilgrimage Network has a vision of pilgrims on all continents and the pilgrim cities that receive them, leaving a positive footprint on the Earth.

The Brigidine Sisters have a new Public Juridic Person Kildare Ministries that will eventually take responsibility for the educational services and community works they currently sponsor. The website has details of the Sisters' activities here and overseas.

For more than nine centuries, Trappist monks and nuns have witnessed to the gospel of Jesus Christ through a cloistered, communal life wholly ordered to contemplation. The Trappists have developed creative online resources. Here is a video interview with some monks about their life and values

American theologian Fr Joseph Komonchak may be best known as co-editor of a multi-volume history of Vatican II. Now retired, he continues to reflect on the Council.

In addition to humour, Fr Komonchak presents various of his scholarly articles in PDF format.

The MacKillop Family Services website has easy navigation, a new suite of drop-down menus and a broader range of events, news  and other information.

ACMRO has been active in trying to offer alternatives to refugee detention. Its website carries a broad range of documents, articles and other information.

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Media Blog has a list of interesting and timely blogs on issues of contemporary relevance, from faith to politics and beyond.

Cyber Sin is an eight-minute film that has been screened in Sydney’s Catholic schools as part of a major resource in the war on cyber-bullying. The Catholic Education Office (CEO), Sydney, has been close to the project for more than a year, culminating in the CEO’s push to have the film’s ‘world premiere’ during the day-long cinema program at last year's World Youth Day in Madrid, where it was met with firm and sustained applause. Details : http://www.ceosyd.catholic.edu.au/News/Pages/CyberSinMovie.aspx

Compass is the Australian review of topical theology published quarterly by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. PDFs of its articles go online three months after the print edition is mailed to subscribers.Annual print subscriptions have just risen from $30 to $40, but the editor Fr Barry Brundell MSC has promised to maintain the old price for a limited time for new subscribers who mention 'CathNews'

The Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers is the latest Vatican agency to launch its own website. Although the site is actually multilingual, you would not know it from glancing at the home page, which is exclusively in Italian except for a few links to other articles.